Follow Your Dreams
by Topsy
Summary: Katherine Beckett has a game plan. And the prize? Richard Castle.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** This is super fluffy, okay? Usually, I'm more of an angst-with-a-happy-ending type of writer/reader, but this was begging me to write it. I got the idea for this story from the YouTube videos that people create with video clip collages of Caskett. I didn't take the idea from any one specific video, I was just inspired by them in general. I hope you like this!

Also, there is no Josh. He does not exist in this world. (I am sick of writing about them breaking up.)

**Spoilers:** "To Live and Die in L.A." and everything before it.

**Summary:** Katherine Beckett has a game plan. And the prize? Richard Castle.

**Disclaimer:** The characters of Castle to do not belong to me. I am only borrowing them for a short time.

* * *

Katherine Beckett was dreaming, her mind a whirling pattern of fractured memories.

_Clutching his book to her chest, she stood next in line to step up to the writer's table. She was so nervous. Butterflies danced in her stomach. She was about to meet her absolute favorite author of all time. The man who had single-handedly pulled her out of nightmares and back to reality… without even knowing it. She tapped her foot and bit her lip as the person in front of her finished up with Richard Castle. And then, she stepped forward, and was blinded by his charming grin. "What's your name, beautiful?" She cleared her throat and tried not to squeak. "Kate."_

_Walking up to him at his party. She was even more nervous this time than the first time she had met him. But she didn't let it show. "Mr. Castle?" He turned around. "Where would you like it?" She showed him her badge. "Detective Kate Beckett. NYPD. We need to ask you a few questions about a murder that took place earlier tonight."_

_Sitting too close to him across the table in the interrogation room. He was absolutely frustrating. Yet her heart was still pounding. Her favorite author. Right in front of her. And then, "Do you know, you have gorgeous eyes?"_

_Standing across from him in the alleyway. "Why, Castle, so I can be another one of your conquests?" She tilted her head. "Or I could be one of yours." He grinned. "It's nice to meet you, Castle." They shook hands. "It's too bad. It would've been great." She bit her lip and leaned in. "You have no idea."_

_Talking to him in a hallway. "You probably saved my life," she admitted. "Probably? I definitely saved your life. And you know what that means, don't you? It means you owe me." He stepped forward. "Owe you what?" Her heart tripped in her chest as he moved even closer. "Whatever I want. And you know, exactly what I want, don't you? You know, what I really, really want you to do? Never, ever, call me Kitten."_

_Tugging on his ear with her fingers. "Ow, ow, ow! Apples!"_

_Bending close together. He looked at her. "You smell like cherries." Their faces were so close._

_Staring at him across her desk, an array of food spread between them. "I've gotten used to you pulling my pigtails. I have a hard job, Castle, and having you around makes it a little more fun." They smiled softly at each other. "Your secret's safe with me."_

_Twirling her hair around her finger as she walked arm in arm with him to the elevators. "So, how did your date go?"_

_Resting across from each other on her couch, wine glasses in hand. "Are you jealous?" She responded quickly. "I'm not jealous." A few moments later, "I'm not leaving. I'm here to protect you." She smirked. "What, with your vast arsenal of rapier wit?" He frowned. "There is a mad man gunning for you, because of me. I am not going to leave you alone." She brushed a hand through her hair. "Okay, fine. I am too tired to argue. But if I see that doorknob turn, I will have you know, Mr. Castle, that I sleep with a gun."_

_Reading the love letters spread around them. "Listen to what she wrote to him. I can't bear to see you suffer. Make a new life with someone else. Just be happy. If anyone deserves it, it's you." He turned, picked up a piece of paper. "I think I have his response to that. I don't believe in much, but I believe in us – I like this guy – and no matter the obstacles, no matter how hard you try, you'll never get rid of me. I love you." She swallowed and watched the realization spread across his face at what he had just said. She looked away. It was too much._

_Pinching his nose between her fingers. "Apples, apples!"_

_Waking up in the car, her head on his shoulder. A pain in her neck. That first moment of confusion, when she wondered where they were and why they were sleeping on each other. Then, the "hickeys." _

_Kissing him on the street, his arms wrapped around her. The look in his eyes before she kissed him again. Her soft moan took her by surprise. A swift kick broke them apart, and then, "That was amazing!"_

_Wrapping his injured hand in the back of an ambulance. "Thank you." He quirked his eyebrows, asking a silent question. "For having my back in there." His smile was a promise. "Always."_

_Dying in his arms, frozen to his side in the giant freezer. Her body was numb, her mind was delirious. But he was there. "Castle, I lo—"_

_Gripping each other's hands in front of a bomb. "Castle." He reached in and yanked out all the wires. Their joy poured out, all over each other as they embraced. And then, lots of relieved laughter._

_Telling him yet another one of her secrets. "I was nine and I had to get my tonsils taken out and I was miserable. And so my mom took time off of work and stayed with me and cuddled up in front of the TV on the couch and we would watch episodes of Temptation Lane. So every time I see it now, it just, it makes me feel like home, and... safe. So there you go. Judge away." He only smiled. "My DVR would make yours look like Masterpiece Theatre. But I am glad to know this about you."_

_Leaning against the couch in a Los Angeles hotel suite. "You know what I thought when I first met you? That you were a mystery I was never going to solve. Even now, after spending all this time with you, I'm still amazed at the depths of your strength, your heart… and your hotness." She walked away. And then came back, only to find herself alone in the room. Too late._

_Poking him in the chest. "What the hell were you doing?" She frowned at him as he replied. Then, "Don't poke me." She smiled. "Poke you? I wanna kiss you."_

_Flying thousands of miles in the air with him sleeping at her side. She read the letter from Royce. "Risking our hearts is why we're alive. The last thing you want is to look back on your life and wonder… if only." She gazed at Castle… and wondered._

The dream broke apart behind her eyelids as the sound of her alarm shattered the morning calm. She reached over and slapped at it, her fingers finally finding the snooze button. Kate wasn't usually a snooze kind of girl, but the memories of the dream were still washing over her. She didn't want to lose them just yet.

She blinked her eyes open slowly, taking in the shapes of light across her ceiling. It was still mostly dark outside, but the street lamps were pushing light into her room. And then those shapes turned into memories again as she let her eyes slip closed once more.

Castle. Everything was Castle.

The dream left her feeling warm, like she was wrapped up in his arms. She wanted to wallow in the feeling forever. There were so many things in her dream, so many memories that she hadn't even realized she remembered. Moments between the two of them nearly forgotten, but now… frozen again in her mind.

She lifted her hands up to her chin and nibbled on her thumbnails.

She was ready. Her heart blossomed at the thought. Oh God. She was ready for him.

Finally. It had taken her long enough.

A wave of calm washed over her as she smiled into the empty room. It was time to come up with a game plan.

* * *

**End Note:** Okay, so this chapter is basically… kind of pointless, in a way, because the majority of the story is snippets from episodes we already watched. But I promise it has a point. I never expected the dream sequence to be so long, but I found that I kept remembering things I wanted to add to it. So many moments I've loved between the two characters on the show… and I _know _I didn't manage to remember everything, and even if I had, this chapter would be so super long that nobody would care. So bear with me. I think there's going to be two more chapters.


	2. Chapter 2

Beckett sat on the edge of her desk, staring at the murder board. Her mind turned the pieces of the puzzle over and over in her head, trying to make them fit together. They were really close to closing this one, she could feel it. The answer was just out of her reach. She needed Castle to help her, to spin theories with her, and she glanced quickly at her watch, wondering when he was going to arrive. She glanced toward the elevators.

And then the smell of fresh coffee drifted over her and a tingling awareness crept up the back of her neck.

"Looking for me, Detective?" His voice came from behind her, and she turned to find her usual morning cup of coffee dangling from his hand a few inches away.

She took the coffee, then looked up at him from beneath her lashes and rewarded him with a slow, warm smile. "Good morning, Castle."

His eyes widened, but he recovered quickly. "It must be."

She raised an eyebrow at him as she took the first delicious sip of coffee. He always got her the _best_ coffee. "Why?"

"You don't usually smile like that in the morning. At least not until I get your coffee and breakfast into you."

"Oh?"

He smiled. "I get paid to watch you, Detective. I'm very observant."

Her lips twitched and she let the sexy smirk show. "I've noticed." She slowly let her tongue run along her top lip, swiping the leftover coffee into her mouth.

This time his eyes widened almost comically and his mouth popped open. "Uhh—" he stuttered.

She grinned then and turned back to the murder board. "Oh, Castle, you are _so_ easy."

Despite his shock, his witty reply was quick. "Not usually, but I can be. All you have to do is ask, Beckett." He wiggled his eyebrows at her, and then looked completely dumbfounded when she only smirked at him once more.

"I'll make a note of that."

Castle plopped down onto the desk beside her and wiped pretend sweat from his brow. "Whew!"

She laughed. "You're having a hard time keeping up this morning, Castle."

"Who are you and what did you do with Kate Beckett?"

She laughed again, and then caught him staring at her, a little slack-jawed with something that looked very much like lust shining in his eyes. It made heat curl through her to see him looking at her that way.

She leaned forward and patted his knee. Her voice lowered to a husky drawl. "Don't worry, Ricky, I'm still me."

He squeezed his eyes shut and clutched at his heart. "Apples! You're killing me, Beckett. _Killing_ me. Show some mercy, please. I'm begging you."

She chuckled and leaned back, deciding to cut him some slack. For now. She'd had her fun and now she wanted to solve this case so she could put the rest of her game plan in motion.

"Okay, Castle, help me put this puzzle together. We're going to solve this today. I can _feel_ it."

He turned to look at the murder board, his mind zooming away from her and onto the details in front of him. He lifted a hand and rested his chin against it. "There's something missing from the timeline."

She nodded, her mind refocusing. "That's what I thought, too," she said, and they started tossing theories at each other, trying to find the missing pieces.

* * *

By the time they had finished their lunches, sitting at her desk in the bullpen, Castle was ready to explode. Beckett was driving him crazy. Absolutely bonkers.

Every time he turned around, she was right there, brushing up against him. At first he had apologized, thinking he was being his ordinary, clumsy self. But it kept happening. Under normal circumstances, Kate would be ready to shove him, irritated by his proximity. But every time, her face remained blank, like she hadn't even noticed the touching of their bodies had happened.

How could she not notice? Every time they touched, his skin lit on fire. The feel of her hand on his forearm. The bump of her hip against his. The graze of her breast as she leaned over him to reach for something.

God, he was _not_ going to survive this.

He reached for his empty plate, just as she did the same. Their hands bumped into each other and he snatched his back, breaking the contact.

She quirked her eyebrows at him as she tossed their empty plates into the trash can beside her desk. "What's the matter, Castle?"

"Nothing." He grit out through his clenched teeth.

This time her eyebrows furrowed. "Doesn't look like nothing." Her head tilted to the side.

It was his turn to frown. "Seriously, Beckett, what's gotten in to you?"

Her eyes widened slightly, feigning innocence. "What are you talking about, Castle?"

He pressed his lips together, trying to keep the words inside. No such luck. "You're driving me _insane_."

There, just the tiniest curve of her lips at the corner. His eyes narrowed. She _was_ doing it on purpose. He _knew _it. But why? His mind turned this new puzzle over and over in his head.

"Maybe you are insane, Castle. I don't know what you're talking about."

He pursed his lips as he considered her. "Uh-huh."

She studied him for a moment, that slight curve still there on her lips. Then she shrugged. "Ohh-kay, Castle. Try to focus, all right? I want to solve this case before end of shift."

End of shift? His mind snapped like a rubberband. "End of shift, Beckett!"

"What?" She turned to him, confused now.

"The brother! He said he got off work at the end of shift, and we _assumed_ he meant at closing time. But he meant the end of _his _shift. I bet if we double check, his shift ended a few hours before closing time and he would have had plenty of time to kill his brother, then get to the bar for drinks with his buddies."

"Yes!" Kate's face was excited. "You're a genius, Castle. I could kiss you!" She stood up and grabbed her jacket. He was frozen in his seat.

"You coming?" she asked as she started walking away.

Oh God. His mind went to a really dirty place. He nearly groaned with it. She really was going to be the death of him.

He got up slowly, glad that he had broken the case wide open. Maybe now she would focus more on closing it then torturing him. If he had any luck at all…

* * *

Kate was thrilled with the day's progress. Everything was going according to plan. She loved when that happened. And the best part of it all? Castle was completely stumped by her good mood and if his reaction to her earlier was any indication, totally aroused.

He was right where she wanted him.

After pulling their victim's brother into the interrogation room at the precinct, Beckett had gone at him like a bulldog with a bone. She wanted this closed. They had their guy; all they needed was a confession.

It took her less than twenty minutes to get what she needed. It took _them_ less than twenty minutes, she amended. Castle had done good in there, despite his earlier distraction.

And she told him so as they walked toward her desk.

"We rock." Beckett stated, smiling over at Castle. She lifted her hand for a high five.

He glanced at her in surprise. "What?"

"We make a helluva team, Castle."

He smiled and slapped his hand against her palm. "We do, don't we?"

"We should celebrate."

"What?" he asked again, that dumb look back on his face.

"We closed the case. We're going to get out of here at a decent time. I think we should celebrate."

"Like, after work?" he asked.

She chuckled. "Yes. Like once I finish the paperwork. What do you say?"

He hesitated. She frowned. Normally he was dying to spend time with her away from the precinct. Had she really thrown him so far off his game today that he was actually contemplating turning her down just to get away from her?

He must have seen something in her eyes, because he smiled quickly. "Sure, Beckett. Sounds like a plan."

"Dinner. My place. I'll cook."

"What?"

"You're starting to sound like a broken record, Castle. Pick your jaw up off the floor, will ya?"

"You're just… Something's going on with you today, Beckett."

She smiled sweetly at him and decided to let him off the hook for a moment. "I know." She watched his eyes widen. "We'll talk at dinner, okay? Be at my apartment at—" She glanced at her watch, "Eight? Sound okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, sounds good." He grinned at her. "You're not all happy go lucky today because you have plans to poison me and get rid of me once and for all, are you? Because I've seen the inside your refrigerator before, Beckett, and you _never_ cook, so I can't help but think that you're hatching some nefarious plot to get me out of your hair."

She smirked at him. "It's nothing like that, Castle. And when it comes to cooking… I have a few tricks up my sleeve."

He wiggled his eyebrows at her. "I'm trembling with anticipation."

She chuckled. "I bet."

"I'm going to head home, then, but I'll see you at eight?"

"Leaving me to finish up the paperwork again, I see." She shook her head. "The perils of having a civilian for a partner." Her voice held humor, not annoyance.

He grinned. "You love it." He grabbed his suit jacket and slipped it on. "See you in a bit."

She nodded at him and waited until he was almost out of ear shot. "Oh, and Castle?"

He turned back around. "Bring a bottle of wine."

His eyes widened again and she could see his Adam's apple bob up and down from all the way across the room. He only nodded. "Uh-huh."

She sat down at her desk, turning her back to him to finish up the paperwork. When she heard the elevator doors close behind him, she let herself grin.

A few feet away she heard someone clearing their throat. She looked up to see Ryan and Esposito staring at her. She narrowed her eyes at them.

"Shut up," she said, even though neither man had said a word.

"Beckett and Castle, sitting in a tree…" Ryan sang softly under his breath.

"K-I-S-S-I-N-G…" Esposito finished.

Beckett threw pens at their heads, missing them both as they ducked. She couldn't help it, she chuckled under her breath. Nothing was going to bring her down today.

She lifted her phone to text Lanie. If she heard about this from Esposito and not Kate herself, there would be hell to pay. Kate couldn't wait for her friend's reaction.

* * *

**End Note:** I warned you, this is totally fluffy. Silly and cute and probably out of character, but I almost don't care because I am having so much fun writing it. I hope you're having just as much fun reading it. Let me know with a review, please? With sugar and honey on top?

The next chapter probably won't be up for a few days. Real life is getting in the way and I haven't had a chance to really map it out yet, much less write it. Sorry! I hope this chapter was fun enough to hold you over 'til then.


	3. Chapter 3

Lanie Parish was sitting in her office, filling out the remaining paperwork for her latest body when her phone chimed, indicating a new text message. She picked it up absently, her hand still scrawling words across the page. Lanie glanced at the screen, expecting to see Javier's name there, but it was Kate's she saw instead. Her hand stilled and she focused her attention on the phone.

She opened the text.

_What's up?_

Lanie quirked an eyebrow and typed out a response. _Filling out some paperwork, hoping to get out of here on time for once. What's up with you? Want to have girl's night?_

_Can't. Have a date… Been teasing Castle all day. Invited him to my place for dinner._

The doctor's jaw dropped and her eyebrows shot up towards her hairline. What? She said what?

Lanie was not a subtle person. She saw clearly what was between her best friend and the writer – hell, everyone did – and had pushed Kate towards it as often as possible. But Kate never listened. Lanie wondered what had changed.

_Girl, get your ass down here. Pronto! _

Lanie dropped her phone onto the desk and tapped her pen against the papers. _Holy shit._ Her mind was reeling. And then she grinned. _About damn time_, she thought.

She picked up her phone when it buzzed again. _I'll be down when I finish my paperwork. It'll be a little bit._

Lanie smiled and was about to tuck her phone into her pocket when it buzzed again. This time, Javier's name flashed across the screen. She opened his text.

_Beckett asked Castle out._

Her fingers flew over the keyboard on her phone. _She just texted me. I want all the details, of everything you saw, later tonight. _She put the phone down and hurried to finish her paperwork. She wanted to give Kate all of her attention when she got here.

* * *

Kate took a deep breath before pushing through the doors to Lanie's office. Lanie had her back to her, straightening up some folders on her desk. When she heard the door open, she turned around.

"Spill it, girlfriend!" Lanie put a hand on her hip. "And I want all the details. Don't hold back on me."

Kate grinned and eased a hip on the corner of Lanie's desk. "Well, I guess I should start from the beginning then."

Lanie nodded. "You better." She sat on her desk as well.

"I had a dream last night."

Lanie's eyebrows rose, but she remained silent.

"It was a… montage, of sorts, of all these memories I have of Castle and I throughout the last couple years. And I just… When I woke up, I felt… loved. God, I sound so stupid," Kate murmured and rubbed her fingers over her forehead.

Lanie shook her head. "No, honey, you don't." She smiled softly at her friend.

Kate bit her lip. "Right before my alarm went off, I was dreaming about reading that letter Royce wrote to me. Remember?"

Lanie nodded.

"And he wrote… He told me that risking our hearts is why we're alive and that we don't want to look back on our lives and wonder, if only. Before I even read those words, I was… I felt closer to Castle. I think I finally understood that we were inevitable, you know?" But she didn't wait for her friend's response. "Everything we've been through lately, it's brought us closer together. And when I read what Royce wrote, I knew he was right. But I just wasn't quite ready."

Lanie smiled and patted Kate's knee. "And now you are."

"Yes. What… What Castle and I have, Lanie, it's really important to me. Our partnership, our friendship… I really value it. And for awhile I think I tried to convince myself that if we… dated, or whatever, that we would explode. It would be a hell of a ride, but it would blow up in our faces, and we would lose what we had before. That friendship. And I don't want to lose that."

"But—"

"But, he's… Always there, Lanie. He's there for me and has proved that over and over again during the last couple of years. And I just… I think I love him, Lanie."

"Aww, Kate." Lanie stood up and hugged her, with tears shining in her eyes. She drew back to look at Kate. "It's nice to hear you've realized that." She squeezed Kate once more, and then drew back.

"I don't want to wonder if only, Lanie. And there's a part of me, a small part, that worries he will get tired of waiting. So… I made a decision." Then she grinned. "And I came up with a game plan."

Lanie laughed. "Do tell!"

"I spent the entire day simultaneously driving him crazy and working my ass off to solve the case. I wanted to finish it, so I could… start something else."

"What did you do to the poor man?"

Kate laughed. "Nothing too painful. I just got in his way… a lot. Brushed up against him whenever I could manage it. Touched him way more than usual. Laughed more. Flirted with him. Pulled out all the stops with the innuendo." Her grin crinkled the corners of her eyes. "God, Lanie, it was so much fun."

Lanie laughed. "How did he react?"

"He was completely tongue-tied. And his eyes, Lanie… His eyes tell stories all on their own. He was… aroused." Kate blushed slightly and bit her lip. "It was hot, knowing I put that look in his eyes."

Lanie smirked. "I bet."

"He even asked me to stop at one point, because it was driving him nuts." Kate giggled, and then put her hand over her mouth, surprised at herself. "So I did stop, for a little bit, so we could focus on the case. I wanted to close it so I could invite him over for dinner. I'm cooking steak."

"Ooh, girl, talk about pulling out all the stops."

"I know. I'm going to bake some potatoes, too. Which means I better get going." Kate stood up. "I still need to run to the store and he's coming over at eight. I want everything to be ready by the time he gets there."

"Whatever you do, I'm sure it will be perfect, Kate. He loves you, too, you know."

Kate ducked her head and smiled softly. "I hope you're right, Lanie. I'll text you later… or maybe tomorrow." She wiggled her eyebrows.

"Get you some!" Lanie crowed and then squeezed her friend tight around the waist. "I am so, so happy for you. Now go! Get your skinny butt home and get to work."

"Thanks, Lanie. I'll see you soon."

* * *

**End Note:** I wasn't originally planning on writing this chapter. You can thank **tiff098765** for this, because she sent me a great review with some awesome suggestions. And I thought they were so great that I couldn't pass them up. So, here we are! I hope you like it. There will be one more chapter after this.


	4. Chapter 4

Kate stood in her apartment, staring at the table in front of her. She had arranged the plates and napkins and silverware just so and was studying them critically. She reached down and cupped her stomach in her hands, where the butterflies were doing a little dance.

"God," she whispered. She was really nervous. She wanted everything to be perfect, but she didn't want to look like she was trying too hard, either. Castle was a very perceptive man, and she wanted to enjoy her time with him, lead up to the moment. But he would know that something was going on. He already did know. Now she just had to _tell_ him.

"Whew." Kate blew her hair out of her face. She had put her hair up in a messy tumble of curls, leaving a few down to frame her face. She'd tried to make it look effortless, and that included her outfit. She'd changed from her work clothes, but had stuck to jeans. A dress or a skirt would have been a dead giveaway. She'd thrown on a deep green top, accented it with a pretty necklace, and applied her make-up with a careful hand. She was as good as she was going to get without looking like she was dressed for a date.

Even though she was.

Deciding the table looked fine – sans candles, she'd thought that would be too much – she turned to check on the food. The potatoes were finished baking, so she turned the oven low, to keep them warm. She added a loaf of French bread to the oven to warm it up. The meat was nearly finished and would be ready by the time her writer arrived. Her writer? God, she was in so deep.

She was just reaching into the refrigerator for the salad when a knock sounded at the door. Her heart tripped in her chest and she let out a shaky breath. She closed the refrigerator door and headed toward the noise.

"Here we go," she whispered quietly to herself. Kate pulled the door open and smiled at her partner. Pleasure rolled through her when she saw him. The shirt he had changed in to matched his eyes. Her hands ached to reach out and smooth over his chest. _Soon_, she told herself.

"Hey Castle. Perfect timing."

He studied her, his eyes searching her face, before he offered a return smile. "Here's your wine, as ordered." He held the bottle out to her.

She took it and stepped back as she tried to settle her nerves. "Come on in. Food's almost ready."

He brought his hand out from around his back and held out what appeared to be a pink lily.

Her heart skipped a beat. "Castle," she murmured as she took the flower from him.

"For you, Detective. I saw it and… it made me think of you."

"It's a lily, right?" She brought the flower to her nose. It smelled wonderful.

He swallowed, and then nodded. "Yeah. It's a stargazer lily."

"It's beautiful." She smiled at him and that was all it took for her nerves to settle. _He's so sweet_, she thought. "Thank you, Rick." She leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek.

His jaw worked up and down, but it appeared she had left him speechless. She grinned and turned toward the kitchen. _Score: Kate 1, Rick 0_, she thought. _Wait, no. He gets a point for the flower. It's a tie._ The thought made her grin widen.

"The steaks are probably ready; just let me get everything out. You can go ahead and sit at the table. It'll just take me a minute." She walked to a cupboard and pulled out a small vase. Kate ran some water into it, and then situated the flower. When she turned around, Castle wasn't sitting, but was leaning against the counter a few feet from her. Her heart thumped in her chest. His nearness made her nervous again.

"That's okay. I'll help," he said.

Kate walked around him and placed the wine and the vase on the table between their plates. She pushed at the vase, centering it, wanting it to be just right. When she turned back around, he was watching her, a soft look in his eyes. She almost gave in and kissed him right then. The need for him curled in her belly.

"You look nice tonight." His voice was low, soft.

It aroused her.

She smiled and ducked her head, hiding her face slightly. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Thank you." Her voice was equally soft.

"So, Detective, what can I do to help?" he asked and grinned, rubbing his hands together. "I heard you say steak, so, let me help so we can get this show on the road. My stomach's rumbling."

She chuckled softly. "Can you get the salad out of the refrigerator? There are a couple of different types of dressing in there, just pick the one you want."

They worked together for a few minutes, gathering up all the food she'd prepared. When they sat down at the table Castle looked at their meal with what looked like glee in his eyes.

"You went all out, Kate." He smiled at her as he poured them each a glass of wine. "This… is awesome."

She shrugged and returned his smile. "Wait until you see what's for dessert." She lowered her voice as she said it and arched a delicate brow.

His eyes widened and she laughed.

"Sometimes I forget that I do enjoy cooking… I just never have the time. And when it's just me, it doesn't seem like enough to make the effort."

He nodded as he lifted his knife and fork to cut into his steak. "Yeah. Whenever Alexis goes out for a night and my mother's not home, I always order take-out. Too much work for just one person." He popped a bite of the meat into his mouth, and then moaned. "Mmm, Beckett, this is good… really good."

She smiled at him as she scooped some salad onto her plate. "I'm glad you like it."

"What did put on this? I _need_ the recipe."

"It was my mother's recipe." Her smile softened as she watched him eat. "I'll write it down for you before you leave."

* * *

Castle was stuffed. And he said so. "God, Beckett, I am going to pop." He leaned back in his chair and patted his stomach gently with a wince.

She leaned back in her own seat and pushed her plate away. "I take it you want to wait on dessert?"

"Is that an option?" he asked, turning his eyes toward hers.

"Yes, Castle. We can wait a little while." She smiled at him.

Hope sprang in his chest. She wasn't kicking him out immediately. They could hang out for a little awhile. Glee sprang up inside of him and if he wasn't so full, he'd think about attempting cartwheels.

Something had been going on with Kate all day, and he was starting to figure out exactly what that was. It wasn't rocket science; he just never in a million years would have thought this day might happen. Not like this. He had always thought they would come together after something terrible happened, would turn to each other for comfort and someone to hold on to in the darkness.

He'd never expected Kate to take the initiative and chase after him. He was used to doing the chasing when it came to her.

But if this was how it was going to go down, he'd welcome it with open arms.

"Sooo," he trailed off. "Want some help with the dishes?"

"I was just going to leave them."

"No, no, no, you can't do that! That means you'll have to do them all by yourself later. And since you cooked, it's only fair that I do the dishes. Or, at least help, since I don't know where everything goes after it's dry."

She smiled again. _She's doing a lot of that today,_ he thought. It both pleased him and unsettled him.

"How about you wash, and I'll put everything away as I dry it?" she suggested.

"Sounds like a plan, Stan." He got up quickly and started grabbing dishes to carry them into the kitchen. He was full, so he felt sluggish. But he was also excited, so he felt hyper. It was a very strange paradox to put his body through.

Castle placed the dishes in the sink and then turned to round up some more, but she was right there behind him, her arms full of dishes, and he almost ran smack dab into her. She wobbled slightly, and he caught her, his hands steadying her forearms.

"Whoa," he whispered as they both froze mid-action.

"Close call," she whispered back.

He eased back from her, chuckling slightly. "No kidding. I'll get the rest if you want to fill up the sink."

They made small talk as they washed the dishes and when the last fork was put away, they stopped and simply looked at each other.

Castle wondered when she was going to make her move. He tried to wait her out, but the intensity of her gaze was making him nervous, and he was afraid that maybe he was wrong about the whole thing. That maybe she was trying to figure out a way to kick him out, sans dessert.

So he said the first thing that popped into his head. "Want to watch a movie?"

"I… have a better idea," she murmured, and his heart tripped. _This is it!_ he thought. _She's going to kiss me! _He almost started wiggling like a lovesick puppy, but she turned and walked away from him.

His heart dropped, splattered at his feet. He hunched his shoulders and tried not to pout. Instead he followed her into the living room.

Castle was surprised when she stopped in front of what looked like a small stereo. He could see that her iPod was hooked up to it, and after a few swipes of her finger, the sounds of something old and haunting filled the room.

He knew what it was, but he couldn't put his finger on it, because his brain completely shut down when she turned back to him, held out her hand, and said, "Dance with me."

His jaw dropped. This was the craziest, most un-Beckett-like thing she had done all day. The look on his face must have reflected that, because her head fell back and she laughed. The sound of it punched him in the gut, and he started toward her, drawn to her, like a moth to a flame, like peanut butter to jelly, like Luke to Leia. Okay, that was probably the wrong comparison to make, because Beckett was most certainly _not_ his sister.

When she tipped her head back up, she didn't seem surprised to find him standing right in front of her. He held out his hands to her, his heart pounding in his chest.

She tangled her fingers with his, and then wrapped her other arm around his neck. She slanted her body along his, and let out a soft sigh when she was resting against him. She pressed her cheek to his shoulder.

His arm tightened around her waist and he let out a sigh of his own. Home. That's what this felt like.

"Beckett, are you trying to seduce me?" he asked in a sly voice.

She smiled against his shoulder. "That depends."

"On?"

"Is it working?"

He squeezed her waist. _Most definitely_, he thought. "I'm kind of a transparent guy, don't you think?"

"Hmm," she murmured, and swayed against him, moving to the rhythm of the music. "Sometimes."

"Well, in this sense, Kate, I am. I think you know I've been seduced by you since day one."

She nuzzled against him. "You did ask me out after that first case."

"You said no, though."

"I didn't want to be another conquest of yours. And you know I would have been, back then."

He heard the honesty in her voice, and couldn't deny it. He pulled back to look at her. "And now?"

"Now… I've watched you grow up, Castle. You've blossomed right before my very eyes," she said with a dramatic flourish and an accompanying grin.

He squeezed her hand in appreciation of her joke, but remained silent. He wanted her to finish this.

"Now," she said again, and stroked her thumb across his neck. That small movement sent a bolt of electricity jolting down his spine. "Now, I know that I won't be."

"Won't be what?" He was breathless with wonder, amazed at her courage, surprised by her candidness, obsessed with the feel of her body pressed to his.

"A conquest."

"No?" he asked, his feet stepping around hers as they danced.

"No," she murmured, and nuzzled her nose into the underside of his jaw. He struggled not to shiver as her breath washed over the sensitive skin of his throat. "I think that if I… seduce you, it wouldn't end after just one night."

He cleared his throat, hoping his voice wouldn't crack. "You know how I told you I would _always_ have your back?"

She nodded, and wiggled her hand free of his. She placed her elbow on his shoulder, and framed his face with her hand. Her thumb stroked a line under his eye.

"Mm-hmm," she murmured, her eyes focusing on his lips.

"Always applies to _everything_, Kate, not just work." He settled his now free hand on her hip.

"I know, Rick." Her thumb brushed against his lower lip. Then she met his eyes again. "I'm ready for always." She pressed up onto her tiptoes and slanted her lips across his.

He sighed and his hands fisted in the shirt at her lower back, holding on for dear life. The tenderness slid through him, like a slow, lazy river on a hot day. She was more than he imagined, everything he wanted.

When her tongue touched his bottom lip, something exploded in his head, and he gripped her tighter, changing the angle of the kiss. He brought her deeper, and nearly took her right there on the living room floor when he drew a moan out of her. He'd been dying to hear that sound again since the night they rescued Ryan and Esposito from Lockwood.

After a moment, she pulled back, panting slightly. "Castle."

He struggled to control himself, struggled to reign in his arousal. "Sorry." His voice was gruff.

She smiled at him, and then pressed a quick kiss to his lips. "Why are you sorry?"

"I… uh… I don't know?" He offered, and she laughed.

"Cat got your tongue?"

"No, Kate got my tongue." His grin was wolfish, hungry, but amused. Finally, his brain was turning back on.

"I just… I want to tell you something first. I want to make sure you understand," she said, as she fiddled with the buttons on his shirt, popping the top one. She began nudging him slowly toward her bedroom. His eyes widened as he realized where she was leading him.

"Understand what?" He barely kept the squeak out of his voice.

"How important you are to me." When she looked at him, her eyes were slightly misty.

"Oh." He swallowed hard. _Oh._

"I don't know if this will last, not for certain. Neither one of us can predict the future. But I do know that you've always been there for me, always had my back, and always… taken care of me, even if I didn't want you to." She paused and ran her tongue over her bottom lip.

Castle nearly groaned at the motion. He closed his eyes for a moment, tried to focus. He needed to listen to her now.

"I'm afraid that if this doesn't work, we'll lose what we already have. Our friendship, our partnership. And I really, really don't want to lose that."

His hand lifted to her cheek, and he stroked her skin softly, trying to comfort her. "I don't either, Kate."

"But I don't want to live my life hiding, either, Castle. The risk… I think it might be worth the risk. I think _we_ might be worth the risk."

He reached out and hugged her then, one arm wrapped around her waist, the other in her hair. "Me too."

She nuzzled against him again, and then smiled. "So we're on the same page then."

He chuckled. "I do believe we are."

She pulled back. "Good. Now get your ass in there," she said and that's when he realized they were standing in the doorway of her bedroom. She shoved at his chest and he stumbled backwards. "Your very delectable ass."

"Ooh, nice word choice, Beckett. Wait..." He grinned. "You think my ass is delectable?"

She advanced on him, her eyes narrowed slightly. Apparently he was a little too much talk, not enough action. When he saw the predatory look on her face, he gulped. "Kate, are you su—"

"It's been three years, _Ricky_. Three _long_ years… of sexual innuendo, teasing, flirting. Do _you_ need to wait?" Her voice was low, smooth, sexy.

He shook his head quickly, feeling dizzy and aroused and so completely undone by this woman. "No! Nope, I'm good!"

"Good," she said with a hungry look in her eyes. She reached for the buttons on his shirt again, finishing the job she had started a moment ago. The shirt fell to his wrists and caught there, but before he could help her undo those buttons, she pushed him back onto the bed, effectively trapping his hands against his hips.

"God," he croaked.

She laughed and then pounced on him, sealing her mouth to his.

Now _this_ was going to be fun.

* * *

**End Note:** So, I hope you enjoyed this! I tried to end it on a fun, fluffy note, just like the rest of the story. Review and tell me what you thought! Pretty pwease?


End file.
